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Gay Atlanta

Gay Atlanta

Emergency measures in the wake of Covid-19:

On March 19th Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms ordered the closure of all city bars and restaurant dining rooms (takeout and delivery services permitted), gyms, movie theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, and private social clubs. Public gatherings of 50 or more people were banned. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp issued a limited shelter in place order on March 23rd that included the closure of many nonessential businesses.

In May the reopening of the state began as Governor Kemp announced that hair and nail salons, barber shops, massage businesses and gyms could reopen, along with restaurants. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, had her own message: "Stay home, nothing has changed," and many stores and restaurants have chosen to remain closed.

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Atlanta has drawn people from around the world, and from all walks of life -- and that definitely includes gay people. It's a cosmopolitan city, sure, but this Southern belle somehow still manages to move at a slightly slower, more graceful pace. There's no denying the city heat ups during the muggy summers, but the long autumns, mild winters, and vivid, flower-filled springs make up for it.

Piedmont Park and the Atlantic Botanical Gardens provide great urban green space. Atlanta Pride, one of the largest of all such American celebrations, brings over 300,000 revelers to the park each October, from around the southeast region and beyond. Black Gay Pride takes place over the Labor Day weekend.
This city's been at the center of some of the most important events in US history: the Civil War, and the civil rights movement -see the Martin Luther King Jr birthplace. Lest we forget, this is also where Coca-Cola and CNN originated.

These days, though, the city may stand out the most for the number and quality of performing and visual arts on offer. The High Museum of Art, having recently collaborated with the Louvre, MoMA and the Republic of China, has cemented its reputation as one of the premier museums in the US. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, one of America’s leading orchestras, is known for the excellence of its live performances and presentations, and serves as the region’s cornerstone for artistic development and music education. A number of Atlanta neighborhoods, including the Midtown West and Castleberry Hill, as well as the more established Bennett Street and Peachtree Hills areas, are notable for their arts scene.

Getting hereAtlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the busiest in the world. But unlike other big-city airports, Atlanta's is convenient to the center of the city. It can take as little as 15 minutes to drive to Midtown, and there's a MARTA rail link right at the airport.

Getting around
Public trains and buses, known as MARTA, are a convenient option for many destinations. The city as a whole, though is spread out, making driving to many areas mandatory -- but plan ahead, Atlanta has bad traffic and sometimes long commute times.

NeighborhoodsMidtown: The reigning epicenter of gay Atlanta remains Midtown, and its anchor is 10th and Piedmont. The area has seen explosive growth, which has changed the former Skid-Row area along Peachtree Street to a gleaming corridor of condo high-rises. Still, its leafy, tranquil and low-swung residential area of restored bungalows and Victorian houses remains intact. You can check it out between Juniper Street and Monroe Drive.East Atlanta: In and around the intersection of Flat Shoals and Glenwood avenues, early-20th-century buildings contain cool restaurants and some of the city's best nightlife and indie music. Turn-of-the-century gems like the intersection of Flat Shoals and Glenwood avenues remain untouched and ready for a renaissance.Midtown West: This former warehouse and railroad district is turning into a destination. The neighborhood around of Howell Mill Road and Marietta Street has a number of galleries, shops, and adventurous restaurants. Some of the city's best- loved and adventurous restaurants are also here.Buckhead: Mansions, expensive restaurants, and upscale hotels are all here; the most exclusive shopping areas in the city, Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza, stand kitty- corner from each other, on Peachtree Road.

Media, resources, events

Emerging from the breakup of the old Southern Voice (SoVo) and the demise of David Atlanta, there are two sources for what's going on in gay Atlanta: the Georgia Voice, and the web-blog Project Q Atlanta with their 20-30 "things to do in Atlanta" every day. Fenuxe is a bi-weekly magazine for the gay community.

The Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, "dedicated to the manifestation of cosmic joy through freedom of expression, charitable acts, community outreach, and social activism," do good deeds in the community, and help to raise funds for worthy causes.

ONYX, a Leather Fraternity for Gay and Bisexual Men of Color, with Southeast Chapter centered in Atlanta, sponsors events throughout the year and monthly bar socials at Atlanta Eagle.

Except perhaps for New Orleans, there's no Southern city with comparable gay nightlife. Private sex clubs, nude male dancers, thriving leather and bear playgrounds, and the stripped-down hunks seen on dance floors here compliment a laid-back and casual attitude to pleasures of the flesh, with a multicultural and cross-racial mix. At the center of an otherwise socially conservative part of America, there's a little something for everyone here.

Zone Amsterdam 18+ men-only members' club; black/Latino mix, dark room, porn parties, live sex shows, Events take place in private session locations in Atlanta and other cities - address sent to members by email. See Twitter updates.